Mark Jackson Not Worried About Extension

Warriors coach Mark Jackson said Thursday that not having a contract extension past next season does not bother him.

“There is not a piece of me that’s bothered that an extension has not been agreed upon or anything of that nature,” Jackson said on his weekly radio show on KNBR. “We move forward. I had the deal. They picked up my option for next year, and I think that obviously speaks volumes even though for some folks it doesn’t say anything.”

Report: Jimmy Butler Targeting Return Before End of Season

Jimmy Butler could return to the court for the Minnesota Timberwolves before the end of the regular season, if he continues to stay on track with his rehabilitation from surgery on his right knee.

“I can’t give you the exact date, but I want to come back and I want to help,” said Butler, who sat courtside during the 129-120 loss Sunday to the Rockets in his first appearance on the bench since he was hurt.

“I have a little bit of time left, but I know my guys are going to stick this thing out and do what they’ve been doing, keep us in this race,” Butler said. “And when I come back, we’ll see what we have left in the tank.”

“I just want to play. I feel like I’ve done this long enough to know that I can still go out there and make something happen,” Butler said. “Now, I promise you I’ll be out of shape. I promise you that. But just getting out there and getting back in a rhythm of things, that’s going to come natural.”

Danny Ainge: Gordon Hayward Setback ‘blown out of proportion’

Reports of Gordon Hayward’s setback may have been greatly exaggerated. This according to the self-confessed exaggerator, who says now he was mistaken in his choice of words.

“You know what? Sometimes I talk too much,” said [Danny] Ainge. “‘Setback’ wasn’t the right word, so let me rephrase that because it’s not exactly true to say it — or say it that way.

“What happened is he went on the AlterG [anti-gravity treadmill] the first day and he felt some soreness. It was the first day he tried the AlterG, a long time ago. He just wasn’t ready for it at that point. That’s all it was.

“So I think ‘setback’ is the wrong way to put it. I misphrased that. I’m not sure what the right word is, but he wasn’t ready for that. So we waited a couple of weeks before we started that again, and since we started that again it’s been great and he’s progressed along on the AlterG. That’s all. It wasn’t like he had an accident or anything like that.

“I used the word ‘setback,’ and it became a headline. Like, ‘Oh, setback.’ It got blown out of proportion. It’s my fault. I’m not blaming anybody. ‘Setback’ was probably too strong of a word.”